This is a Reshade preset for Pathologic 2 that seeks to provide a clean, semi-realistic visual style for the game without completing depriving it of the original atmosphere.  I never really intended to share this, but after the response I got in sharing images from it and in seeing only one preset exists for P2, I figured it couldn't hurt to share.  This preset should have virtually no performance impact.  Only minor color and lighting changes with a lightweight lumasharpen shader. 

This is my VERY SUBJECTIVE preset (as is any Reshade preset) that focuses primarily on removing high gamma and haze and highlight the harsh contrast of the game's inherently theatrical lighting.  Personally I felt dissatisfied with the hazy, muddied visuals everywhere even at the start; especially in interiors.  Of course later in the game this makes sense outdoors, but within interiors I tried to make lighting more realistic while retaining key elements of the exterior color palette where possible.  However, if you are playing P2 for the first time or are a harsh believer in the beauty and intent of the original color palette untouched in its entirety, this preset may not be for you.  I love and respect everything about P2's vanilla visual style.  This is just something different that I enjoyed using as an alternate approach as well and as such tried not to deviate TOO far from the original style.  Please check the images tab to see if this preset is for you. 

The other key focus was darkness as in making darkness a key survival element like so many others in the game.  Matches now have a valid use in lighting lanterns as you will NEED a lantern to visibly navigate nights and poorly-lit interiors.  In the dark, light sources are your only friend and it is by intention that it is very hard to see at night and in certain interiors thereby making lantern use a necessity and rationing matches for it a valid concern.

Please note that my Gamma value set in the Graphics settings menu in-game is at 1.85.  This was the perfect balance for my monitor with this preset.  If you find things still too dark or bright in using this preset at that gamma value, consider raising or lowering it accordingly.

INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS.


Download the latest version of ReShade from here.  The current version is setup for Reshade version 4.8.2.  If Reshade updates and it appears to change something with the install process as outlined below please feel free to let me know in the Posts section of the mod page!

Run the downloaded .exe and select Pathologic 2's .exe from the list of programs.  If it isn't listed, click Browse... and then navigate to the folder where you have Pathologic 2 installed and select Pathologic.exe.

When asked which Rendering API Pathologic will use, select the box next to Direct3D 10/11/12.

When prompted to select which effects packages to install, select the check boxes as shown below (Standard Effects (default), SweetFX, and Color Effects) and then click ok.

Reshade will proceed to download each effects package.  Select ok for each popup until setup is completed and you see this confirmation popup.  You can then close out of the Reshade window here. 

Place the Clarity_Reshade.ini file downloaded from this mod page's Files tab in the folder where Pathologic 2 is installed (SteamLibrary/steamapps/common/Pathologic) as shown below.

Start Pathologic 2 like usual and once you have launched to the main menu you should see a popup in the top-left of the screen mentioning how Reshade is installed and the version that is installed.  Press the HOME button on your keyboard to open the Reshade panel.  Click Skip Tutorial if prompted to go through one then click on the drop-down at the top of the panel just below the top tabs and click Clarity_Reshade.ini in the dropdown and then the Select button below it as shown.

After selecting Clarity_Reshade.ini from the dropdown list, the ini name should fill in the blue bar there, and checkmarks should be applied next to all the effects used by the preset as shown below.  

You are good to go!  Remember to set Gamma in graphics settings to 1.85 for the intended look (and then adjust accordingly if you find it to be too bright or dark).  This is how my main menu looks for reference using the preset at 1.85 Gamma.

UNINSTALLATION/RESHADE REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS

Simply delete the blue highlighted files/folders shown below (reshade-shaders folder, dxgi.dll, dxgi.log, Clarity_Reshade.ini and Reshade.ini) and Reshade will completely (and safely) be removed from your game.  No game reinstall necessary if it doesn't work as intended!  You can technically run the Reshade setup .exe and select the game's .exe once more to uninstall Reshade, but this manual method ensures no preset .ini files are left over.




If you have any feedback or if you notice a FPS impact greater than 5 while using this preset, please say so in the Posts section of the mod page.  I would love to hear from you on ways to improve!  Thank you Patho peeps and enjoy!